Community Forum Speaker and Panelist Biographies
Tess Benham
Tess Benham is responsible for development, implementation, and evaluation of injury
prevention programs and programs that promote the safety and health in home and
community settings. She is responsible for program and grant management of projects
within the National Safety Council’s Home and Community Partnerships and Initiatives
department. She provides technical assistance and support to communities seeking
designation through the Safe Communities America Initiative.
Tess Benham has over 10 years of experience in program development and grants
administration. This includes more than 5 years of experience in administering and
monitoring grant applications and contracts for a statewide organization. She has a
proven track record of implementing and managing effective social service and violence
prevention programs in a rural setting.
She held the position of Director of Prevention Services at ADV & SAS, a communitybased domestic violence and sexual assault program. While at ADV, she implemented
evidence-based prevention programs. She had a leadership role in the 13 th Judicial
Circuit Family Violence Prevention Council. The awareness programs and policy
changes implemented and advocated for by the FVPC in the past 10 years resulted in a
25% reduction in domestic crimes.
John Billimek
John Billimek is the Project Director at the UC Irvine Center for Health Policy Research
and an adjunct faculty member at California State University-Long Beach. Dr. Billimek's
expertise centers on improving communication and collaboration in health care and
health promotion among individuals of different cultural, educational, and professional
backgrounds. In addition to his work on fall prevention in Orange County, Dr. Billimek
has contributed to projects on a range of health issues including evaluating policies
intended to reduce tobacco-related health problems, understanding the health
consequences of immigration in Germany, improving coordination of services for
homeless people in Los Angeles, and addressing ethnic and cultural differences in how
patients work with their doctors in diabetes care. Dr. Billimek also works as the
Volunteer Coordinator for the Peruvian American Medical Society, which provides
free medications, surgeries, mental health services and preventive healthcare for needy
individuals in the Andes Mountains.
Lynn Daucher, Director of the California Department of Aging
Lynn Daucher is the current director of the California Department of Aging. Prior to this
appointment, she served in the California State Assembly, representing the 72 nd
District. While in the Assembly, Director Daucher served as chair of the Committee on
Aging and Long Term Care. Prior to being elected to the Assembly, she served on the
Brea City Council, Orange County Library Board, Sanitation Board of Directors, and
Brea Olinda School of Trustees.
Dee Erman
Dee Erman has volunteered with the Office on Aging Senior Citizens Advisory Council
(SCAC) since June 1997. Through her involvement, she serves as an advocate for
seniors, utilizing her years of experience in legislative and quality of life issues. Dee was
elected as the SCAC chair in 2005 and was reelected for a second term in 2006. She
has been an active member of SCAC’S Legislation and Executive Board committees.
Dee currently serves as a senator in the California Senior Legislature. Dee is a tireless
champion for older adults and for the rights of the disabled, and she exemplifies how
these segments of our population can influence the public and private sectors through
leadership and determination.
Prior to her involvement with SCAC, Dee had gained years of experience in older adult
legislative issues through her role as “the resource person” for the California Senior
Legislative Agency (CSL). Her volunteer work with CSL spanned from 1990 through
1997, and one of her many accomplishments was the creation of a tracking sheet of
legislative bills that was used by the California Senior Senate and Senior Assembly. Her
efforts have had a positive and long-lasting impact at local and statewide levels.
Over the years, Dee has served in a leadership capacity with many organizations,
including the North Orange County Retired Teachers Association, Orange County
Caucus and Placentia Senior Committee. In addition, California Assemblywoman Lynn
Daucher recognized her as the 72nd Assembly District’s “Woman of the Year.”
Bill Liu
Bill Liu is a Certified Geriatric Pharmacist currently serving as consultant pharmacist to
the Behavioral Health Division of the County of Orange, Health Care Agency, Older
Adult Services. Previously, Bill served as an Adjunct Clinical Professor of Pharmacy at
the University of Southern California School of Pharmacy and has practiced pharmacy
in a variety of settings to include hospital, community and skilled nursing facilities.
Dr. Laura Mosqueda
Dr. Laura Mosqueda is the chief of geriatrics at UC Irvine. She’s a professor of family
medicine and holds the Ronald W. Reagan endowed chair in geriatrics. She sees
patients at the UC Irvine Senior Health Center and participates in research and
education as well. Special areas of interest are elder abuse and disability issues.
Chris Norby, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors
Chris Norby is the current Chairman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors. He
was elected to the Board of Supervisors in 2002 representing the Fourth District (cities
of Fullerton, La Habra, Placentia, Buena Park and Anaheim). Prior to his election to the
Board of Supervisors, Chairman Norby served on the Fullerton City Council beginning in
1984, having been re-elected in 1988, 1992, 1996 and 2000. He served three years as
Mayor of Fullerton – in 1990-91 and 1995-97. Concurrent with his tenure as a Fullerton
City Councilmember and Mayor, Chairman Norby was employed as a high school
history teacher.
Bill O’Connell
Bill O’Connell serves as the National Safety Council’s Executive Director for
Government Affairs in Washington DC. He is responsible for NSC’s cooperation with the
US Congress and the federal agencies about matters of transportation,
home/community, and workplace safety and health. As such, Bill is responsible for
NSC’s advocacy efforts to further the federal government’s support of research and
demonstration programs to reduce the frequency and impact of falls among older
adults.
Bill has over forty years experience managing public and private, non-profit
organizations in public health, medicine, mental health, and education. Prior to his
current position he served as the Executive Director to the Society for the Advancement
of Violence and Injury Research (SAVIR), Chief Operating Officer to the American
Board of Anesthesiology, and Deputy Director of the American Osteopathic Association.
Bill began his career in California as a community organizer among migrant farm worker
communities during the fabled, “War on Poverty”.
Judy Ogan
Judy Ogan is a Supervising Public Health Nurse for Preventive Health Care for Adults
(PHCA). She has worked for the Orange County Health Care Agency and with older
adults for over 22 years. She has participated in the Down with Falls Community since
its inception and has promoted the need for fall screening and education in community
through the PHCA program.
Jon Pynoos
Dr. Pynoos is co-director of Fall Prevention Center of Excellence in Los Angeles and
professor of gerontology and policy, planning, and development at the University of
Southern California Andrus Gerontology Center.
Dr. Pynoos holds a joint appointment as a Professor in the USC Davis School of
Gerontology and the USC School of Policy, Planning and Development. He is also the
Director of the Division of Policy and Services Research at the Andrus Center. His
research interests include fall prevention among older persons, the development and
analysis of policies and programs related to housing, long term care and community
planning for older persons. Currently he is the director of the National Resource Center
on Supportive Housing and Home Modification and co-directs the Fall Prevention
Center of Excellence.
He has authored numerous books and articles including, "Housing the Aging," with
Victor Regnier, AIA for which he won the prestigious Phi Kappa Phi Award. His many
honors include being named a Fellow of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial
Foundation, a Fellow of the Fulbright Council for International Exchange of Scholars,
and a Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America.
Dr. Pynoos graduated from Harvard University with a Ph.D. in Urban and Regional
Planning. In 1987 he was awarded the UPS Foundation Professorship in Gerontology.
Karen Roper
Karen Roper has worked for the County of Orange for over twenty-six years. She has a
Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and Business Management as well as a
Master’s Degree in Business Administration.
A majority of Karen’s career has been devoted to the development and implementation
of health and human service programs and systems of care that improve the quality of
life for a variety of at risk and low-income residents in Orange County.
In May of 2004, Karen was appointed to the Executive Director position at the County
Office on Aging and Homeless Prevention. In this role, Karen is responsible for the
Office on Aging Division budget of approximately $14 million dollars per year and the
Homeless Prevention Division which secures and coordinates approximately $15 million
dollars per year in homeless assistance funding for Orange County.
Brenda Ross
Brenda Ross is a member of Orange County’s Senior Citizen Advisory Council (SCAC)
and was the SCAC chair for 5 years. She is an elected councilwoman from the city of
Laguna Woods, serving since the the city was incorporated in 1993. Brenda has been
a member of the California Commission on Aging for 6 years.
Mark Wegener
Dr. Wegener is the director of Balance Rehabilitation, located in Mission Viejo. He
holds a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree (DPT) from Loma Linda University. He is
also a board certified Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist (OCS), a Certified Strength and
Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), and has completed specialized training in the areas of
Vestibular and Neurological Rehabilitation.